Pay a Contact.

Pay a Contact is the simple way to send or receive money with just a mobile number, instead of a sort code and account number.

So whether you’re splitting a restaurant bill, or want to be paid back for something you’re owed, Pay a Contact can make your life much easier.

Pay a Contact is part of Paym, a wider service which enables payments using a mobile number to be sent to other participating banks and building societies. Payments can be made through Online Banking and our Mobile Banking App.

Pay friends or family easily

Paying someone back for your lunch, dinner or a sandwich if you don’t have cash

Pay for a cinema or concert ticket without having to wait to receive account details

How to register

Registering is simple. If you’re registered for Online or Mobile Banking, you can register for Pay a Contact.

You’ll need details of your UK mobile phone number and bank account you’d like to link it to.

What is Paym?Paym is the central database and service developed by the Payments Council and operated by Mobile Payment Service Company Limited in partnership with participating financial institutions.When you register for Pay a Contact, your mobile phone number and linked account details are stored on the central Paym database. This allows participating banks to route any payments made using just your mobile phone number to your registered account.

Are there any restrictions on what I can use Pay a Contact for?Yes. You cannot use Pay a Contact to make a single payment of less than £1.00 or above the daily limit of £300.00.

What happens if my mobile phone is lost or stolen?Pay a Contact payments can only be sent using Online Banking or Mobile Banking. To access this, you need to sign in using your user ID, password and memorable information. No one will be able to access your account without this information.In the event of your mobile phone being lost or stolen, your contacts can still send you payments using Pay a Contact.If, as a result of your mobile being lost or stolen, you change your mobile number you should sign in to Online Banking or Mobile Banking and remove your old mobile phone number from your personal details. This automatically de-registers the number from Pay a Contact. You should also remind your friends and family of your mobile number being changed.When you have a new mobile phone number, you can update your Online Banking or Mobile Banking personal details and register the number for Pay a Contact.If you have reason to suspect your security credentials have been compromised, you should call us immediately on 03456 02 00 00.If you're calling from abroad or would prefer not to use the 0345 number, you can call us on +44 (0)113 279 8302.We would advise you not to store this information on your mobile or anywhere else.

Can I register a UK landline for Pay a Contact?No. The service is only available for UK mobile phone numbers.

Can I register for Pay a Contact on my joint account?Yes. You can send payments from or receive payments into your joint account. You shouldn’t register a joint account without first agreeing this with the other account holders. Only one account holder needs to register in order for that account to be able to receive payments via Pay a Contact.

I've registered my mobile phone number, to receive payments, with another bank and now want to register for Halifax Pay a Contact. What do I need to do?First you'll have to de-register your number with the other bank / building society following their de-registration instructions.When you’ve successfully de-registered from the other bank’s / building society’s service you can register with the Halifax.

Are my details shared with a 3rd party and are these held securely?Your mobile phone number, name and bank account details (sort code, account number and 16 digit PAN number) will be recorded on the secure Paym central database. This database links your mobile phone number with the current account you’ve registered for Pay a Contact and has the same level of security in place as you’d have with any of our other banking services.Only the information necessary to send and receive payments using just your mobile telephone number will be shared with participating banks and building societies.

Who can I send a payment to using Pay a Contact?You can send payments to any individual who has registered for the service through a participating bank or building society. Any payment made using Pay a Contact will be shown on your statement as MPO – Mobile Payment Out.

How much can I send using Pay a Contact?You can make payments from £1.00 to £300.00 from each of your accounts (current and joint accounts) every day. You won’t be able to increase your daily limit. Each participating bank will have their own limits.

How do I know the money is being sent to the correct person / my contact?When you select or input your contact’s mobile phone number and the amount you want to pay, you’ll see a confirmation screen which shows the recipient name as registered to the mobile number on the central database. If this is the person you want to pay you’ll confirm the payment. If it isn’t the person you intended to pay or isn’t someone you recognise you should cancel the payment. Cancelling the payment will delete the existing beneficiary details and you'll need to set up a new beneficiary.If you don’t recognise your contact from the details shown please check with them in the first instance to see if their details are correct.

Can I send a Pay a Contact payment to someone who has an account with another bank or building society?Yes, as long as your contact is registered on the central Paym database via their bank or building society.

Is there a charge for sending a payment using Pay a Contact?We don’t charge you for making or receiving payments through Pay a Contact, but your mobile operator may charge for some services (such as accessing the Internet) so please check with them.Payments made via Pay a Contact are made using existing payment processes (Faster Payment Service). We don’t charge for these payments.

How do I send money using Pay a Contact?Making a payment to a contact, friend or family member couldn’t be easier. Just sign in to Online Banking or Mobile Banking and select the Pay a Contact tab when making a payment. You’ll be asked to enter your contact’s mobile phone number, the amount you’d like to pay them, a reference and a password. If you’ve paid this person before their mobile phone details will be shown under Contacts in the drop down menu. If this is the first time you’ve paid this contact we’ll complete our usual Enhanced Internet Authentication (EIA) call to confirm you’d like to set up this contact as a new beneficiary.

How do I receive a payment?Once you register your mobile phone number with an eligible account for Pay a Contact, your friends and family can start sending you money using just your mobile phone number.When a payment is received into your account using your Pay a Contact registration you’ll receive a notification message (SMS) letting you know. This notification message will confirm the sender’s name, the amount being paid and the reference added by your contact.